Alexander Parkes

Stuff Matters is a book by Mark Miodownik where he explores the different origins and properties of materials that are in our daily lives. The materials around us are taken for granted, thus not many people can answer the question of why the materials look, feel, and act the way they do. A prime example is plastic. Polymers, or plastics, are considered one of the six classes of materials that has changed the world. Plastic is held with high status in the material world because of its extensive formability, giving it properties that allow it to be formed for certain purposes. The Imaginative chapter is dedicated to plastics, and its origin. The chapter begins with Miodownik in a movie theatre, discussing about how plastic wrappers are “at home” in the theatre. However, the majority of the chapter takes place in a mini screenplay Miodownik has written to illustrate the history of plastic. One of the first forms of plastic was nitrocellulose, which was made by mixing wood pulp with nitric acid. In its liquid form, collodion, it can easily be dyed just by dropping a few drops of ink into the solution. The exploration of plastic owes its roots to the game of pool that was made popular in the 19th century. At that point, ivory was the primary material of production for the balls used in the game. Ivory is hard enough to withstand many high speed collisions without chipping, is tough enough to not crack; allowing it to be made into a spherical shape, and it was easily dyed.…

criminal would literally sit in his coffin for a mile-ride, until he arrived to his hanging. The whispers of the ghost tales started when people reported hearing whips, horses, and the sound of a wagon strolling by during the predawn hours. However, when they went to witness this scene, there was no evidence of this activity taking place. Many who have inhabited nearby hotels by Nicholson street, state this tragic scene plays every night, and only voices are heard. The Death of Martha…

country’s first First Lady, helped shape her into the woman history paints her to be. Martha Dandridge was born to John and Frances Dandridge as a “fourth-generation Virginian on her mother’s side”. From her family’s long involvement in New Kent County, they had a good reputation which would guarantee Martha a suitable match when she came of age. Martha’s character, noted as being “strong, but dutiful, charming yet sincere, warm yet socially adept,” led her to ultimately marry a wealthy man…

meaning and the way names are spelled changes over time and across the world. Our names, meanings, nicknames, and why we were named what we were, are just a few ways that shape are uniqueness. Originating from the Greek name Alexandros, Alexander signified "shielding men" from the Greek word alexo, which means "to guard. Help" and the Greek word aner, which means "man". The name Alexander additionally has a place with a legend of Paris in Greek mythology and has a place with a few characters in…

grotesque, perhaps that no word exists to describe [it.]” Abigail’s death would soon follow on October 28, 1818 from typhus while John would live on to see the “fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.” While John and Abigail Adams shared a well-connected marriage, John got along without Abigail. In contrast, Martha would struggle in the years following George Washington’s death. Martha Washington was a woman greatly affected by death for much of her life.…

country and our rights so that we could have our freedom that we so kindly have. Other graves sites are given for family members who were closely related to an armed forces member. My soul purpose for choosing the Arlington Cemetery, is because my Great Uncle and Great Aunt made a life long career serving in the army particularly throughout WWII which they procured an honorary burial. I also chose the Arlington Cemetery because of it’s dedication to the armed forces something that really caught…

John Parke Custis (also known as Jacky when he was younger) was a very successful and a bright man. He had a famous mother named Martha Washington. Custis was only four years old when his mom married George Washington. When Custis grew older, he was serving in George Washington’s army. After some time, he died while serving the army so the Arlington cemetery was passed onto Custis’s son, George Washington Parke Custis. George Washington Parke Custis named the land Arlington. In 1804, Parke…

It was agreed upon in the Constitution that “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed” (Jefferson). By stating this it was absolute that those who were in a position of power are there because the people they over-see. Some of the men behind the support for the Constitution were Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. Although the Federalist strongly supported this change there were many disagreements from the Anti-Federalist…

Federalists, who were mostly high-class businesspersons, slave owners, and bankers; and anti-Federalists, who were mostly lower-class businesspersons and farmers. The Federalists believed in a strong national government and were in support of the constitution. The anti-Federalists believe that the new government would have too much power and would tread on people’s liberties. Anti-Federalists fear that in giving too much power to the central government; States’ rights would be over looked and…

The author of Founding Brothers, Joseph Ellis argues many points throughout the assigned reading. He argued that the new nation surviving its infancy stage was “bleak in the extreme.”(Ellis, 8) The adolescent nation faced many challenges both home and abroad during the revolutionary generation as they attempted to fashion an independent viable republic such as the dinner which Thomas Jefferson held to decide the issues of the early nation’s deficit and the location of its new capitol, the…